The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

177.1.] .
I)l.S.S.VTlSl\\CTI(iN
OF THK CJ.AN G1;aXT. 417
nu'iit to tlic llou-so of llaiiover. Tlicre was tlieroforc iio special need in
tlii'lr case to liuld out iiiduccnieiits to adhere to Kliiij- CJeoi'ii-e. The clan,
with a lew exceptions, were of one mind with their chiefs, and could he
depended on in an enu^v^ency, withdui heing s;)ecially fornifd i, > a
rei^linent.
iiut this was no; the case wit!' Mach: >d. •
Tlioui;-h it ; s not a])peai-
thai (lie Marleods ar. lally took Ur arms i;i 1715, the\' ^\^'. descrihod in
a pi'.p'Oi- furnished for the informati"i! of the Kini;- of Franc-.- shortly before
that d.-ite, as loyal to the Stewarts, and able to bi'ing- five hundred men
into the licM.' In the present rebellinii, the Chief of Macleod, with Sir
Alexander Macdonald of Sleat, had engaged theinselyes to join the
Pretender, proyided the King of F)'ance furnished an army in his aid.
J">ut when Prince Charles Edward landed in the west of Scotland with
only a few f illowers, and trusting in nothing but his own destiny, these
chieftains looked upon his cause as hopeless, and refused to join his standard."
To this decision, so fjrtunate for themselyes. they were iii-ndy held by Lord
President Forbes, who, fearing lest their professi'd loyalty to the House of
Hanoyer might giye way before the .succes.ses of the Highland army, held out
such inducements as the independent conjjianies oil'ercd, to engage Macleod
at least (who hesitated rno.st) in the seryice of the Goyernment.
Besides, President Forlje.s was too sincerely deyoted to the Goyern-
ment to haye needlessly hurt the feelings of a loyal clan when the latter
was of so nuich importance as the Grants. Fortunately, howeyer, the
gentlemen of the clan had no immediate opjiortunity for brooding oyer
their sup]iosed wrongs, for in the .same letter in which ^h\ Grant announces
to Lord Loudoun the refusal to raise a second comjiany, he mentions
reports that the rebels had burned corn-stacks in P)i-aeniar, and had com-
mitted yiolence elsewhere in ley3'ing impositions, which he considered him-
self bound to suppress." He oifered, on receiying Lord Loudoim's commands,
to march fiye or six hundred men to Aberdeen, and endeayour to restore
the peace, and to carry out this project Mr. Gi'ant asked two hundred stand
of arms, and that the compariy commanded by Captain Grant of Ilothie-
murchus shotdd, if possible, be sent to his assistance.
^ Origin.al Paper iiriiited in lirowne's History of tlie Higlilamls, vul. ii Afi[i. p. 4'29.
2 Browne's History, vol. ni. p. (j. ^ yol. ii. of this Work, p. ISO.
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